Tuesday 6 April 2021

Top Ten Tuesday ~ Top Ten Books I'd Gladly Throw Into the Ocean

"Top Ten Tuesday" is an original feature/weekly meme created on the blog "The Broke and the Bookish". This feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists at "The Broke and the Bookish".

It is now hosted by Jana from That Artsy Reader Girl.

Since I am just as fond of them as they are, I jump at the chance to share my lists with them! Have a look at their page, there are lots of other bloggers who share their lists here.

This week's topic is: Books I'd Gladly Throw Into the Ocean

There are quite a few books that fit into this category, most of them I only finished because they were book club books. Don't get me wrong, I have always loved being in a book club and I found many books and authors that I really loved but there were some that I could have done without.


Deforges, Régine "The Blue Bicycle" (French: La Bicyclette Bleue) - 1981

I hate plagiarism, especially when it's as obvious as this.

Franzen, Jonathan "The Corrections" - 2001
Not my cup of tea. Too boring. Everything seemed unrealistic.

Fuller, Alexandra "Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight" - 2002
I couldn't understand this family at all. Why would I want to live unhappily in a place where my children die because of the safety in the country and the poverty?

Krasnow, Iris "The Surrendering to Motherhood: Losing Your Mind, Finding Your Soul" - 1997
A book club book. Most of us were mothers. We all agreed that someone who has all the money in the world and can afford lots of help in the house cannot judge those who don't have those opportunities and have to work in order to raise their children. A snobby story by someone who belongs to the 1% who has no idea about how the rest of the world lives.

McEwan, Ian "Atonement" - 2001
Such a boring, repetitive book. If you want to create tension, you need to write a little more interesting.

Niffenegger, Audrey "The Time Traveler's Wife" - 2003
This book was the best example why I don't like science fiction. Just in case time travel did exist, there were far too many contradictions in the whole story. If you change science, stick to it and don't change it on every other page.

Pearson, Allison "I Don't Know How She Does It: The Life of Kate Reddy, Working Mother" (Working Mum) - 2002
Another book club read about another rich working mother who judges those who don't work, for whatever reason because, apparently, they judge her. We won't get anywhere if we keep adding those prejudices as "facts". The whole thing read as a chick-lit, as well.

Picoult, Jodi "My Sister's Keeper" - 2004
Another chick lit. This time disguised as a "drama" novel. Bleurgh.

Salinger, J. D. "The Catcher in the Rye" - 1951
I read this as a teenager where I maybe should have understood a rebellious teenager better than I would today but I still didn't like the guy or the plat.

Wisner, Franz "How the World Makes Love: And What It Taught a Jilted Groom" - 2009
Another awful plagiarism. If I pretend to travel the world just be copying other travel reports, someone will have read at least one of those books and notice. Well, I did.

Did you notice how none of them has an author's link? That's because I only read one of their outpourings. I decided one was already one too many.

Also, quite a few of them have a sort of candy-coloured cover. I guess this explains why I usually stay away from such editions. I know I'm a book snob but there you go.

Often, I add books to my TTT list that were on one or the other before. I think none of these was on another TTT before or ever will be again.

28 comments:

  1. I couldn't get into The Catcher in the Rye either, and I read it as a teen.

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    1. Thanks, Lydia. I've heard this so many times. You and I are not alone.

      Thanks for your visit. I'll see you later on your page.

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  2. I feel like a lot of people feel the same way about Catcher in the Rye.
    Here's mine: https://booksandbouquets.blogspot.com/2021/04/top-10-tuesday-books-id-gladly-throw.html

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    1. Thanks, Charlotte. As I just said to Lydia ^^, we are not alone. Even after bringing up two boys, I still don't get it.

      And thanks for visiting and leaving your link. See you there.

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  3. Everyone hates The Catcher in the Rye but I remember loving it! Granted, I read it like 15 years ago or more so maybe I need to reread it lol

    Here's my TTT: https://www.mollysbooknook.com/6-books-that-belong-on-the-ocean-floor/

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    1. Well, Molly, someone has to like it otherwise it wouldn't be such a classic. I haven't met many who do, though. Still, there are books I love and everyone else doesn't. Shows us that there are as many different tastes as there are readers. I read this book as a teenager, so probably before you were even born.

      Looking forward to your list, maybe you have one on there that I love. LOL

      Thanks for your visit and for your link. See you on your page.

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  4. I didn't care for Don't Let's Go To the Dogs Tonight either.

    I haven't read The Catcher in the Rye but it's currently on my tentative Classics Club list. It feels like one of those books that everyone "should" read, just so you can have an informed opinion about it. I don't expect to like it if/when I read it but at least I'll know for sure.

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    1. Thanks for saying that, Jen. I was not very popular with that taste in my book club. Such a whining book!

      I'm curious as what you will have to say about "Catcher in the Rye" once you get to it. Looks like many dislike it but Molly ^^ says she loved it. Maybe you will, too?

      Thanks for stepping by.

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  5. The Time Traveler's Wife is one I could throw into the ocean simply because I didn't love it. I felt like I should with everyone raving about it.

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    1. True, Deanna. There were only two people in my book club who didn't like it, the other one was a nurse who said she couldn't get over so much rubbish.

      Thanks, as always, for coming to my blog.

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  6. I haven't read any of these but I can totally understand your reasons! I probably wouldn't have finished them XD

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    1. I know what you mean, Tracy, but seven of them were book club books and since I ran the club, I felt compelled to do so. LOL

      But I'm glad you can follow my reasoning. I don't just dismiss a book for being from a certain genre or whatever, I can usually justify my judgement.

      Thanks for your visit.

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  7. I read THE CATCHER IN THE RYE in college and hated it. I can't say I actually remember anything about the book other than that I despised it totally!

    Happy TTT!

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    1. I wish I could say that, Susan. It's been over forty years that I read it but I remember it vividly. Such a spoilt brat!

      Thanks for visiting, as always.

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  8. Well, there we go. We have similar tastes and different tastes. I cannot abide Jodi Picoult although my reading groups have made me read three! I quite enjoyed The Corrections as a realistic picture of some parts of American life at the time. I loved The Time Travelers Wife for it imagination. I loved The Catcher in the Rye for reasons I can't explain. Same with Atonement. The others I have not read.

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    1. You're right there, Judy. It would be weird if we thought the same about every single book. I think I would refuse to read another Picoult book, no matter how many in my group wanted to. I found the one completely awful.

      Maybe The Corrections were realistic but I just didn't like the writing and couldn't warm to the characters which, of course, also goes back to the writing.

      Imagination was there in The Time Traveler's Wife but too many contradictions (as in most sci-fi novels). If you "invent" a new science, you have to follow it through and not change it nilly-willy on every other page.

      What a shame you only read those that you liked because I am sure you would have hated some of the others. LOL

      Anyway, it was interesting to see your reasons why you liked the books I hate so much. We can always learn from that.

      Thanks.

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  9. I was curious about the time Traveler's Wife- didn't they make a movie out of that too? Never did get around to it unfortunately... or maybe fortunately haha!

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    1. They did make a movie (with Eric Bana, Rachel McAdams and Ron Livingston) but I don't remember it being as successful as they had hoped. I couldn't imagine how they put it on screen. I wouldn't want to watch it anyway. I'm not much into sci fi or novels and even less in sci fi or fantasy films.

      But it's interesting to see how others view those books I didn't like. Have you read any of them?

      Thanks for your visit.

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    2. I have not read any of these. Time Traveler did pique my interest a bit, I think when that movie came out- I do love time travel (the idea) but it can be really tricky to do, as you allude to.

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    3. Granted, the idea of time travel is interesting but nobody has ever written about it in a way that makes it even remotely plausible, there are always contradictions.

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  10. I’ve had The Time Traveler’s Wife on my TBR for a long, long time....I prefer realistic fiction....maybe it’s time to give it the boot!

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    1. That's the trouble, Carol. If you prefer realistic fiction ... like me ... you will probably not like it even though everyone raves about it.

      Thanks for visiting.

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  11. These posts are always interesting to read. To see the preferences from other readers. I am not familiar with eight of the ten. Love Niffenegger though, but have doubts about Salinger.

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    1. I know, I was amazed by the amount of different books disliked by some. You are not the only one who liked Niffenegger, my whole book club, except for one member, loved it, as well.

      I wish you a nice weekend.

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  12. Aw man, I wish I had had time to do this one for the week. I would have gladly thrown away every single book by Philippa Gregory, right into the ocean!

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    1. I know what you mean. I like books about historic figures but she seems a tad wishy-washy to me. Just the tzpe people consider "beach reads". Am I right?

      Anyway, you can always pick up the subject another time.

      Have you read any of the books on my list?

      In any case, thanks for your visit and comment.

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    2. I think so - and there is very little actual history in her historical fiction. I am the least supportive person of Anne Boleyn you will ever meet, but Gregory's horrific writing in The Other Boleyn Girl was ABSOLUTE TRASH. She's the worst. I have only read The Tome Traveler's Wife and I think I liked it but it was yeeeeeears ago.

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    3. I have watched "The Other Boleyn Girl" and it hasn't given me any reason for wanting to read any of her books.

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